With 133 severely malnourished children, including 72 females, Nanjangud has the highest number of children with nutritional deficiencies in Mysore district. There are about 52 malnourished children in 0 to 3 years of age and 81 in 3 to 6 years of age in the taluk.
Deputy Director of Women and Child Development N.R. Vijay told reporters here on Friday that the number of severely malnourished children dropped from 1,241 to 737 because of various steps taken to address nutritional deficiencies. There are 345 and 392 severely malnourished children in 0 to 3 years of age and 3 to 6 years of age respectively in the district, he added.
Mr. Vijay said the Mysore-based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), a premier food technology laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, has taken up a study on malnutrition in children in six anganwadi centres of Nanjangud taluk. “About 100 children are being studied by a team of experts from the institute.”
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In three months, anganwadi workers, supervisors and parents of malnourished children were trained on nutritional issues and nutrition-rich foods. About 50 percent of the study is done, he added. “After the study, the institute has plans to introduce Spirulina-based foods for enhancing nutrition in children. If the experiment is successful, the measure may be extended to other taluks of the district,” Mr. Vijay said.
According to the department, the district has 15,514 male and 15,594 female children in 0-6 years of age with moderate malnourishment.
Eggs and milk had been introduced as supplementary diet in anganwadis, besides a regular diet for children aged between 3 and 6 in about 2,827 anganwadis. Also, regular health check-ups are conducted every month by the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
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Under the Balasanjeevani scheme, Rs. 750 was spent per day on medical expenses of severely malnourished children. The Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre has been opened in the children’s wing of Cheluvamba Hospital, a hospital for women and children attached to the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute here, for giving special treatment to severely malnourished children. There is also a Modified Nutritional Rehab Centre in H.D. Kote for treatment.
Under the Special Nutritional Programme, additional food worth Rs. 9 a day was provided to malnourished children in anganwadis.